Hydrangea plant named ‘Hokomac’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Hydrangea  plant named ‘Hokomac’, characterized by its narrowly upright plant habit; strong erect stems; relatively small leaves; and mophead-type inflorescences with red purple and green-colored flowers.

Botanical designation: Hydrangea macrophylla.

Cultivar denomination: ‘HOKOMAC’.

CROSS-REFERENCED TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Title: Hydrangea Plant Named ‘Hokomarevo’

(U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/658,049).

Title: Hydrangea Plant Named ‘Hokomathyst’

(U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/658,050).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea plant, botanically known as Hydrangea macrophylla and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Hokomac’.

The new Hydrangea plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Xian’, not patented. The new Hydrangea plant was discovered and selected by the Inventors as a single flowering plant from within a population of plants of ‘Xian’ in a controlled greenhouse environment in Boskoop, The Netherlands in July, 2006.

Asexual reproduction of the new Hydrangea plant by vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Boskoop, The Netherlands since August, 2006, has shown that the unique features of this new Hydrangea plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Hydrangea have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Hokomac’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Hokomac’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea plant:

-   -   1. Narrowly upright plant habit.     -   2. Strong erect stems.     -   3. Relatively small leaves.     -   4. Mophead-type inflorescences with red purple and green-colored         flowers.

Plants of the new Hydrangea differ from plants of the parent, ‘Xian’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hydrangea are more freely flowering than         plants of ‘Xian’.     -   2. Sterile flowers of the new Hydrangea have smaller sepals than         sterile flowers of plants of ‘Xian’.     -   3. Plants of the new Hydrangea and ‘Xian’ differ in flower         color.

Plants of the new Hydrangea differ from plants of the Hydrangeas ‘Hokomarevo’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/658,049) and ‘Hokomathyst’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/658,050) primarily in flower color.

Plants of the new Hydrangea can also be compared to plants of Hydrangea ‘Magical Diamond’, not patented. Plants of the new Hydrangea differ primarily from plants of ‘Magical Diamond’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hydrangea are more upright than plants of         ‘Magical Diamond’.     -   2. Plants of the new Hydrangea have stronger stems than plants         of ‘Magical Diamond’.     -   3. Inflorescences of plants of the new Hydrangea are flatter         than and not as globular as inflorescences of plants of ‘Magical         Diamond’.     -   4. Sterile flowers of plants of the new Hydrangea have smaller,         thicker and more durable sepals than sterile flowers of plants         of ‘Magical Diamond’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the unique appearance of the new Hydrangea plant, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ from the color value cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Hydrangea plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Hokomac’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘Hokomac’.

The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet is a close-up view of typical leaf of ‘Hokomac’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used in the aforementioned photographs and in the following description were grown in two-liter containers during the late spring in a shaded glass-covered greenhouse in Boskoop, The Netherlands under conditions which closely approximate commercial production conditions. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures ranged from 17° C. to 19° C. Plants of the new Hydrangea were two years old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical description: Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Hokomac’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Hydrangea     macrophylla ‘Xian’, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Method.—By softwood cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About three weeks at             temperatures of 15° C. to 25° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About five weeks at             temperatures of 10° C. to 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About six             weeks at temperatures of 15° C. to 25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About ten             weeks at temperatures of 10° C. to 20° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; creamy white             in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately branching; medium in density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form/growth habit.—Upright plant habit; narrow inverted             triangle; strong erect stems; about ten lateral branches             develop per plant, pinching enhances lateral branch             development; moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 53.8 cm.         -   Plant diameter or area of spread.—About 47.3 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 23.6 cm. Diameter: About             6 mm. Internode length: About 7.1 cm. Texture, developing             and fully developed: Smooth, glabrous. Angle: Mostly erect.             Strength: Strong. Color, developing: Close to 144A. Color,             fully developed: Between 199A and N199C. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite simple.         -   Length.—About 10.1 cm.         -   Width.—About 8.5 cm.         -   Shape.—Broadly ovate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Rounded to attenuate.         -   Margin.—Serrate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Between 139A and             141A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Between 137C and             138B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A;             venation, close to 145C. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to 138B; venation, close to 145B.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 3 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 144C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single fertile and sterile flowers             arranged on terminal mophead-type panicles; panicles             flattened globular; sterile flowers face upright to             outwardly and fertile flowers face upright.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Continuous flowering from late             spring to late summer in The Netherlands.         -   Flower longevity.—Sterile flowers last about four weeks on             the plant; sterile flowers persistent.         -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering habit; about 70             fertile flowers and about 130 sterile flowers per panicle.         -   Panicle height.—About 7.1 cm.         -   Panicle diameter.—About 12.1 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm.             Shape: Flattened globular. Color: Close to 73B.         -   Fertile flowers.—Diameter: About 5 mm. Depth: About 4 mm.             Shape: Rotate, campanulate. Petals: Quantity: Five. Length:             About 3 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape: Broadly ovate. Apex:             Acute. Base: Fused. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening and fully             opened, upper surface: Close to 71B to 71C. When opening and             fully opened, lower surface: Close to 72D. Sepals: Quantity:             Five. Length: About 3 mm. Width: About 1.5 mm. Shape: Ovate.             Apex: Acute. Base: Fused. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 145B to 145C. Fully opened,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 145B; towards the margins             flushed with close to 69B to 69C. Pedicels: Length: About             4 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Strength: Moderately strong.             Angle: About 10° from vertical. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: Between 67D and 68B. Reproductive organs: Stamens:             Quantity per flower: About ten. Filament length: About 2 mm.             Filament color: Close to 155C. Anther shape: Broadly             reniform. Anther length: About 0.8 mm. Anther color: Close             to 197C to 197D. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close             to 156D. Pistils: Pistil quantity per flower: About three.             Pistil length: About 2 mm. Stigma shape: Club-shaped. Stigma             color: Close to N155A. Style length: About 1.5 mm. Style             color: Close to N155A. Ovary color: Close to N155C.         -   Sterile flowers.—Petals: None observed. Sepals: Quantity:             Four. Length: About 1.2 cm. Width: About 1.1 cm. Shape:             Orbicular to broadly deltoid. Apex: Rounded to bluntly             acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper             surface: Close to 64C. When opening, lower surface: Close to             73B. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 70C tinged with             close to between 144B and 145A. Fully opened, lower surface:             Close to 70D tinged with close to 145B to 145C. Pedicels:             Length: About 2.2 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm. Strength:             Moderately strong. Angle: About 35° from vertical. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 67B to 67C. Reproductive             organs: None observed. Fruits/seeds: Fruit and seed             development have not been observed on plants of the new             Hydrangea. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Hydrangea have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens or pests common to Hydrangea. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Hydrangea have been shown     to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from about −20° C. to about     40° C. 

1. A new and distinct Hydrangea plant named ‘Hokomac’ as illustrated and described. 